Page 5

My world tilted. Actually, fucking tilted. What the hell? My heart started pounding against my chest like it was some kind of wild beast trying to break free. I forgot how to breathe. All I could think was “mine, mine, mine.”

Who in the hell was she?

“Graham, sweetie?”

It took everything I had to stop staring at the beautiful woman in front of me. It was like my eyes were glued to her eyes… her smile… and if she’d just turn around again, her ass.

Finally, I could look over at Miss Laverne. “Huh?”

“I want to introduce you to Joy Magill.”

Miss Laverne nudged Joy with her elbow. “Joy, Graham Wallace works with those nice boys who have that safety business. Don’t some of them ride motorcycles too, Graham?”

I winced. It wasn’t the first time she had referred to Roan Thatcher and Simon Clark as nice boys. The first time Roan had heard, he almost busted a gut, he laughed so hard. Simon, the other owner of Onyx Security, just narrowed his eyes and shrugged. When I thought about it, he had an eight-and-a-half-year-old daughter who was a pistol, so he was probably used to unfiltered women.

“Hey,” Joy gave me a tentative smile and wave and brought me back to the present.

“Joy’s my houseguest. She’s a lot like you, Graham. She helps me out around the house.”

I couldn’t stop the frown from forming on my face.

“Miss Laverne, we’ve discussed this,” Joy said gently. “I love it that you consider me your houseguest, but you also need to explain that I’m your tenant. Otherwise, people might think I’m taking advantage of you. It’s better that they know I’m paying you rent.”

“Nobody would ever look at you and think you would take advantage, honey.” Miss Laverne tipped her head to the bag I was holding. “Did you bring groceries when I expressly told you I didn’t need anything?”

“I brought you red vines,” I said as I pulled the licorice out of the sack.

Her face lit up, and she took them out of my hand. “I’ll save these for later. Right now, I can’t wait to try Joy’s cake.”

“That’s for after lunch,” Joy admonished. “First, we’re having some of your okra bean stew. My Great Aunt Pattie makes that sometimes for the diner, but she uses white rice and pinto beans and then some spices that she hasn’t ever told us about.”

I loved the way she coaxed Miss Laverne not to indulge her sweet tooth. I always worried about the older woman’s sugar intake. Diabetes was no joke. Of course, it never stopped me from occasionally buying her the licorice she so loved.

“I’m sure mine won’t taste nearly as good as hers,” Miss Laverne said in her normal humble manner, but I was betting she’d knock Joy’s socks off.

“What can I do to help with lunch?” I asked.

“You can go to the dining room and sit down,” Miss Laverne said with a shooing motion.

“Are you telling me I’m in the way?”

“If the shoe fits.”

I chuckled and left the kitchen. This was the first time I’d eaten in her dining room. Normally we just had our meals at the kitchen table. I noted that Miss Laverne had gone all out, using her ‘good china’. Hmm… Was she setting up me and Joy? If she was, I was all for it.

I took a seat at the head of the table, hoping that I would be sitting next to Joy. It would be fun seeing if I could make her blush again as we had lunch.

It took less than a minute for Joy to come out with a soup tureen, and she placed it in front of me.

“I’ll be back with the cornbread in just a minute. I don’t want Miss Laverne to have to carry anything.”

“Gotcha.” I agreed with her plan. Trying to take as much work as possible off Miss Laverne was how I rolled, too.

“Miss Laverne, take a seat,” I insisted as I got up to pull out her chair. After I got her seated, the older lady smiled at me. “You are such a gentleman, Graham.” She turned to Joy. “Isn’t he a gentleman?”

I watched Joy blush and laughed to myself.

“He sure is.”